Pot tax, homelessness on agenda at upcoming B.C. municipal convention

Howard Alexander - News Editor

FILE PHOTO - Marijuana plants grow as Julia Ratcliffe, a technical consultant with The Bug Factory, a company that supplies insects for natural pest control, works at the MediJean medical marijuana facility in Richmond, B.C., on Friday March 21, 2014.

Image Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

September 22, 2016 - 11:30 AM

VICTORIA - Nearly 2,000 municipal politicians, civic staff and other community leaders are preparing for a five-day Union of B.C. Municipalities convention beginning Monday in Victoria.

Representatives of 189 local governments from all corners of B.C. can take part in opening day panels on tent cities, homelessness, gang violence, climate action and forest policy.

Almost 200 resolutions will also be debated during the 113th annual gathering being held at the Victoria Convention Centre.

Premier Christy Clark is scheduled to address delegates on Wednesday, NDP Leader John Horgan will do the same on Thursday, and the convention will hear from Federal Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Amarjeet Sohi, next Friday before the gathering wraps up.

Election of a new president and executive team is slated for Thursday, as Cariboo Regional District chairman Al Richmond ends his term leading the UBCM.

He says the issue of marijuana regulation and tax sharing is expected to raise strong interest among delegates but housing affordability in urban and rural centres is also high on the agenda.

OPINION A report has recently stated that the average cost of food will inflate near double its average annual rate. This does not include fresh produce and most animal proteins. The inflation for these products may t